UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT SPRINGFIELD CAMPUS SENATE AY 2012/2013 RESOLUTION 42-22

Transcription

1 Approved Campus Senate Meeting April 19, 2013 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT SPRINGFIELD CAMPUS SENATE AY 2012/2013 RESOLUTION Amendments to the UIS Campus Senate Bylaws Regarding Illinois Open Meetings Act Compliance WHEREAS, the Illinois Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/) (OMA) requires that public bodies in Illinois hold open deliberations and take actions in full view of the public, and WHEREAS, according to the Attorney General s Guide to the Illinois Open Meetings Act it appears that university senates and their subsidiary bodies may be regarded as public bodies for purposes of the OMA ( and WHEREAS, the Constitution of the Senate of the University of Illinois at Springfield states that All meetings within the Campus Senate Governance System shall be open, in accordance with the statutes of the State of Illinois (Article II, Section 4. Meetings), and WHEREAS, the University of Illinois at Springfield Campus Senate desires that its Bylaws (as amended March 23, 2012) specifically refer to and incorporate provisions of the Open Meetings Act, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the University of Illinois at Springfield Campus Senate approve the following changes to the Campus Senate Bylaws.

2 Background In order to ensure that public bodies hold open deliberations and take actions in full view of the public, OMA requires that they establish and provide public notice of a schedule of regular meetings, post meeting agendas in advance of meetings, and make minutes and other records available for public inspection. A quorum (a majority of voting members) is required to conduct business. Meetings must be open to the public except in a very specific set of circumstances that must be articulated before holding any closed session. The UIS Campus Senate, as established in the Constitution of the Senate, operates according to rules adhering to the spirit of open meetings requirements of State laws (Constitution Article II, Section 4). A review of Campus Senate Bylaws suggests that our bylaws should specifically refer to and incorporate provisions of the OMA. The following revisions are recommended to more fully integrate the OMA into the Campus Senate Governance System. ARTICLE IV DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS 3. The Secretary A. keeps minutes of each meeting, by the support staff; B. makes the minutes available to the membership for approval at the start of each meeting; C. works with the support staff of the Campus Senate Office to make senate records and minutes accessible to the members and available for public inspection. ARTICLE V MEETINGS 1. The parliamentary manual for the Senate will be Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, except where its procedure is expressly modified in these Bylaws. 2. A quorum of the Senate will consist of 60 percent of the total voting membership. 3. The Senate shall not meet during the summer absent extraordinary circumstances. In the event that a summer meeting of the Senate is required, all Senators shall be notified at their homes of the scheduled meeting. Eight (8) Senators shall constitute a quorum for a summer meeting. All actions of the body shall be reported to, and reviewed by, the full Senate at its first regular meeting in the Fall. 4. Regularly scheduled meetings shall be held twice a month during the academic year.

3 5. Meetings of the Senate shall ordinarily be open to the public. Adequate facilities shall be provided for the public to observe Senate proceedings. 6. The Senate may close its sessions if warranted by the nature of matters discussed. A specific exemption of the Open Meetings Act [5 ILCS 120/2(c)] permitting closure of a meeting must be cited before closing a session. 7. Matters to be placed on the agenda for action at meetings must be presented in writing to the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson. Written agendas shall be distributed to members of the Senate no later than four days prior to meeting. 8. Items which have not been placed on the written agenda as specified above may be added to the agenda, presented at meetings, and discussed by the Senate; but no final action will be taken on such matters until a subsequent meeting. 9. Suspension of the parliamentary rules can be effected only by a vote of 17 of the full 28 members of the Senate. 10. All bills, resolutions, and other proposals for changes in Senate policy or procedures shall identify those parts of the proposal that the author(s) recommend to be considered as changes in the Senate Rules. In any instance when this has not been done by the author(s) of the proposal, the Senate Chair shall identify the parts to be considered as bylaws and the parts to be considered as rules and recommend them to the Executive Committee. In either case, a bill, resolution, or other action presented to the Senate for action must clearly identify what parts are to be treated as bylaws and what parts are to be treated as rules in Senate action on the proposal. 11. Proposals for changes in the bylaws shall follow the procedures specified in Article VIII. Proposals for changes in Senate Rules (Policy) shall be presented for first reading at the meeting prior to a regularly scheduled meeting when the matter may be placed on the action agenda. Resolutions may be included on the action agenda without a first reading. ARTICLE VI COMMITTEES AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SENATE 1. Executive Committee E. Operating Procedures. 1) The Executive Committee shall operate in accordance with Article II, Section 4. of the Constitution of the Senate of the University of Illinois at Springfield

4 2) The Executive Committee will establish a schedule of regular meetings at the beginning of each academic year and will publish the schedule and locations of meetings on the Campus Senate web page. 3) The Executive Committee in its meetings will permit as much contribution to the discussion from non-members as possible consonant with the Committee completing its work and fulfilling its responsibility to facilitate the functioning of the Senate. It is in the Senate where deliberation of issues should take place, so the rights of the Committee to complete its work are predominant. 2. Standing Committees of the Campus Senate Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised will govern all Committee proceedings unless expressly modified by formally adopted Committee Bylaws which are consistent with the Senate Constitution and Bylaws. Committees shall elect chairs annually. During the spring semester, each committee with continuing and newly appointed members in place shall elect a chair from the ranks of faculty for the upcoming academic year. Standing committees shall operate in accordance with Article II, Section 4. of the Constitution of the Senate of the University of Illinois at Springfield. Each committee will establish its meeting schedule at the beginning of the academic year and will publish the schedule and locations of meetings on the Campus Senate web page. No Ex Officio member of a Senate Committee shall have voting privileges unless otherwise expressly provided in these bylaws. B. Academic Integrity Council 6) Meetings. The Council may develop bylaws and operating rules consistent with Senate bylaws and operating procedures, and with this Policy. The Council shall meet at regular intervals throughout the year to accomplish the purposes and functions necessary to fulfill its charge. The Chair shall be responsible for the establishment of agendas, the coordination of activities and the formation of subcommittees and ad hoc committees as deemed necessary. All Council meetings other than hearings, appeals or petitions shall be open in accordance with the Constitution of the Senate, Article II, Section 4. A

5 quorum, a majority of the voting membership, is required to conduct business. Q. Undergraduate and Graduate Councils. 8) Meetings. Both Councils shall meet at regular intervals throughout the year so as to accomplish the purposes and functions necessary to the University. The Chairs, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall be responsible for the establishment of agendas, the coordination of activities and the formation of subcommittees and ad hoc committees as deemed necessary. All meetings shall be open in accordance with the Constitution of the Senate, Article II, Section 4. In order for business to be conducted, a majority of the total voting membership currently appointed must be present. This will constitute a quorum. All actions and recommendations shall require a majority vote of those present.